December 12, 2003

GILES FILES
By
Duncan Giles
President
NTEU Chapter 49

On this & that......

The South Bend Post of Duty (POD) will be moving into nice new quarters by the middle of January.  This will be a much better space than where they are now.  I just wish we could do the same soon for Columbus and Evansville, but due to budget constraints it looks like those two leases will be extended one more year.

Speaking of offices – there has been a bit of a buzz lately in the fact that the Service is looking nationwide at possibly closing some PODs that have fewer than 10 employees.  In Indiana, we’ve already had shakeouts over the last 15 years or so (Gary, Kokomo, New Albany, Richmond, Elkhart). For that reason, I’m hoping we won’t see any Indiana PODs closed under this edict. We have another factor in our favor – none of our existing PODs are within 40 miles of each other, which is a major factor in whether to close an office. However, Chapter 49 remains vigilant on this front.  If we hear anything serious, we’ll let you know.

Chief Steward Karen McKibben is still awaiting a response back on her second step mass grievance for higher grade of duties for ROs in Indiana.  Hopefully, she’ll get an answer back soon so will know whether management has done the right thing.  If not, we will have to set up a meeting with for SB/SE Area Director Bill Thompson to hear this case.

Overall, I think this coming year will be full of challenges.  We are constantly having to look over our shoulders at outsourcing possibilities, having to do more with less (what else is new?) and dealing with people who just want to throw up roadblocks instead of helping us find solutions to issues (both inside and outside of the Service).  We will do what we always have done - fight for employees both nationally and locally.

At this point I would like to thank all the fine Stewards and Officers of the Chapter.  I may be the face and voice of NTEU Chapter 49 but without these fine folks’ very hard work I would have a tough time getting the work done around here.  So, a big thank you to: Wilma Avington, Sabrina Barton, Teresa Bohnert, Michelle Borders, Anne Brown, Vivian Burton, Scott Carder, Dean Crawford, Pam Fruggiero, Mike Keethers, Brian Kosteck, Larry Lannan, Marcia Loop, April Lopez-Roque, Karen McKibben, Bill Stevens, Cynthia Underwood, Karla Weidekamp, Donna Wolf and last (but certainly not least) Susan Wright.  They get paid nothing extra for this duty (nor do I).  They are doing this job just to help their fellow employees.  If you get the opportunity, don’t be shy about thanking them for all they do.

Lastly, thanks to all the Chapter 49 members for your support.  I would like to wish everyone Happy Holidays and a safe and joyous new year.  Due to the holidays, look for the next newsletter January 10th. That’s it for now.

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EMPLOYEE TAX AUDITS
AND TIGTA

 
Now that the IRS push to audit it’s employee’ tax returns is in full swing, NTEU has seen a troubling development. It’s so troubling that NTEU National President Colleen Kelley has written a letter to the acting Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA).  It’s our view that TIGTA agents do not have the training or legal authority to conduct tax audits.    If you are contacted either by TIGTA or the Employee Tax Compliance program, we urge you to notify a Chapter 49 steward immediately. In the meantime, NTEU will continue to express or concerns about TIGTA agents involvement in tax examinations.  You can read the entire Colleen Kelley letter at
www.nteu49.org

BAD NEWS
FROM CAPITOL HILL

Where do we begin with the bad news from Washington?  It deals with outsourcing, pay, overtime and Medicare.

Let’s start with outsourcing.  A joint House-Senate Conference Committee had reached agreement on language to protect federal employee appeal rights in the process of putting our jobs up for bid to private contractors.  The contractors’ lobbyists were upset that federal employees would have a fair system on the outsourcing process.  So the contractors got the White House to threaten a veto of the entire budget bill if the language wasn’t changed. The Congressional leadership caved to the president’s demands, and the language favorable to federal employees was taken out.  The bottom line impact of all this is to make it easier to contract our jobs to the private sector.  NTEU is by no means giving up on this.  We will continue to update you as our legislative department works to protect our rights through our elected officials.

As we write this, it is unclear whether the Senate will vote on the Omnibus Budget bill.  If not, our full pay raise may be delayed much the same as it was last year.  We would get about a 2% raise in the first full pay period in 2003, then once the budget bill passes, we would have to have retroactive pay months later.  Most Indiana employees should get a pay raise in 2004 of about 3.9%, except the Merrillville POD people who will get a larger raise.  Chapter 49 will keep you up to date on this in this newsletter and at our Web site
www.nteu49.org

The president and congressional leaders have succeeded in taking away overtime pay from a large number of workers, including federal workers.  The changes in the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) could take away OT pay for federal employees once OPM adopts these rules now targeting the private sector.  More details are available at our Chapter 49 Web site.

On Medicare, federal workers have always received excellent prescription drug coverage from the federal employee health insurance program that is available to most retirees.  NTEU had urged Congress to protect federal employees from having our prescription drug program diminished through this Medicare legislation.  Congress refused.  No immediate changes are planned, but we fear for the future of our prescription drug plan, especially for federal retirees.

ODDS AND ENDS

--The deadline to sign up for the new Flexible Spending Account has been extended to December 15.
--There is no filing season support agreement for the coming season, but national talks continue.  In the meantime, solicitations and other provisions of the old contract remain in place.
--A National Agreement provision allowing compensation for temporary work locations within 40 miles of your duty station was disallowed by Treasury and supported by a 2-1 decision of FLRA.  NTEU is appealing that decision in court.